After the death of a schoolteacher in a shooting in Bangkok, the Thai government has decided to drastically tighten gun control. The Prime Minister promised to take urgent measures to ensure the safety of citizens and restore order in this area.
Suspension of licenses: temporary ban for all regions
Interior Minister Anutina Charnvirakula signed an order to immediately halt the issuance of licenses to carry firearms in public places. The document applies to all 76 provinces in Thailand until specifically directed.
Authorities have also banned gun registration authorities from issuing orders, import permits or sales of blank and traumatic pistols, which can easily be converted into assault weapons. New companies will not be issued licenses to import firearms or ammunition.
In addition, owners of blank pistols and their imitations will be required to register them with the police within a month. Written guarantees will have to be given that the weapons will not be modified to fire live ammunition.
Failure to do so will result in a fine of up to $200 or up to a year in jail for citizens.
Gun stores and shooting ranges are banned from ordering and importing any type of weapons and ammunition without special permission from the authorities. Only registered sports clubs will be able to obtain licenses to purchase firearms for training and competitions.
Extent of illegal arms trafficking in Thailand
According to the international Small Arms Survey, Thailand has about 10 million civilian firearms, of which nearly 4 million are unregistered. This ranks 13th in the world.
Thailand is also among the top 15 countries with the highest rate of deaths from gunshot wounds - nearly 3 per 100,000 population annually.
New strict measures against guns should reverse this negative trend and reduce the number of civilian casualties.
Author of the article: Ekaterina Antonova
